‘Dombivli Fast’ director to make light-hearted film

By Subhash K. Jha Mumbai, Aug 12 (IANS) After Marathi film “Dombivli Fast” and its Tamil version, director Nishikant Kamath has decided to take a break from serious cinema and has put the Hindi version “Mumbai Meri Jaan” on hold. He now wants to make a light, frothy film. “Why not? I can have fun too. And, believe me, making a credible escapist entertainer is not easy,” Kamath told IANS.

Kamath is directing the Hindi version of “Dombivli Fast” for producer duo Abbas-Mustan, who have made thrillers like “Aitraaz” and “Race”.

Kamath has indeed travelled a strange route to Hindi cinema. He first made a widely accepted Marathi film “Dombivli Fast” with Sandeep Kulkarni in the lead and remade it in Tamil as “Yenavu Oruvan” with R. Madhavan.

“I didn’t know a word of Tamil, but Madhavan was keen. And he knows four languages - English, Tamil, Hindi and Marathi. So he was my right-hand man all through the making of the Tamil version of ‘Dombivli Fast’.”

In fact, Kamath was all set to make another Tamil film launching Kamal Haasan’s daughter Shruti with Madhavan.

“But the script didn’t materialise at the right time. So I focused on my first Hindi film. I’m committed to making ‘Dombivli Fast’ in Hindi for Abbas-Mustan. But I’m in no mood to do another serious social critique.”

Is he aware that two other films - Neeraj Pandey’s “Wednesday” and Joy Augustine’s “Little Godfather” - on the train blasts are being readied? They were set for a July 11 release but couldn’t be completed on time.

“I’m not aware of these,” replied Kamath. “Like I said, my film isn’t about the explosions. It’s about the aftermath of a national tragedy. There are five characters - Soha Ali Khan, Madhavan, Kay Kay Menon, Irrfan Khan and Paresh Rawal - in different episodes coping with the tragedy. Mind you, ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’ could’ve been set after any storm, hurricane, earthquake… the explosions are a backdrop.”

So will his proposed light-hearted film feature Madhavan again?

“We’re very close friends and collaborators. If I had my way, I’d want him in all my films,” said Kamath.